The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 4 eBook

“Sri said, ’Ye givers of honours, cast
off by you in this way, I shall certainly be an object
of disregard with all the world. Do ye show me
grace. Ye are all highly blessed. Ye are
ever ready to grant protection unto those that seek
your protection. I have come to you soliciting
your protection. I have no fault. Do you
rescue me (from this situation). Know that I
shall always be devoted to you. I am desirous
of residing in any parts, however repulsive, of your
bodies. Indeed, I wish to reside in even your
rectum. Ye sinless ones, I do not see that ye
have any part in your bodies that may be regarded
as repulsive, for ye are sacred, and sanctifying,
and highly blessed. Do ye, however, grant my prayer.
Do ye tell me in which part, of your bodies I shall
take up my residence.’

“Bhishma continued, ’Thus addressed by
Sri, the kine, always auspicious and inclined to kindness
unto all who are devoted to them, took counsel with
one another, and then addressing Sri, and unto her,
O king, these words.’

“The kine said, ’O thou of great fame,
it is certainly desirable that we should honour thee.
Do thou live in our urine and dung. Both these
are sacred, O auspicious goddess!

“Sri said, ’By good luck, ye have shown
me much grace implying your desire to favour me.
Let it be even as ye say! Blessed be ye all, I
have really been honoured by you, ye givers of happiness!

“Bhishma continued, ’Having, O Bharata,
made this compact with the kine, Sri, there and then,
in the very sight of those kine, rendered herself
invisible. I have thus told thee, O son, the glory
of the dung of kine, I shall once again discourse
to thee on the glory of kine. Do thou listen
to me.”

SECTION LXXXIII

“Bhishma said, ’They who make gifts of
kine, and who subsist upon the remnants of things
offered as libations on the sacred fire, are regarded,
O Yudhishthira, as always performing sacrifices of
every kind. No sacrifice can be performed without
the aid of curds and ghee. The very character
as sacrifice which sacrifices have, depends upon ghee.
Hence ghee (or, the cow from which it is produced)
is regarded as the very root of sacrifice. Of
all kinds of gifts, the gift of kine is applauded as
the highest. Kine are the foremost of all things.
Themselves sacred, they are the best of cleansers
and sanctifiers. People should cherish kine for
obtaining prosperity and even peace. The milk,
curds, and ghee that kine yield are capable of cleansing
one from every kind of sin. Kine are said to
represent the highest energy both in this world and
the world that is above. There is nothing that
is more sacred or sanctifying than kine, O chief of
Bharata’s race. In this connection is recited
the ancient narrative, O Yudhishthira, of the discourse
between the Grandsire and the chief of celestials.
After the Daityas had been defeated and Sakra had
become the lord of the three worlds all creatures grew